Good news for Miami Dolphins fans: NFL aims to reduce dead time during games

Once players like Mike Pouncey take the field next season, they may get fewer breathers, if Roger Goodell has his way. (Getty Images)

It’s 90-something degrees out in September. The Dolphins have just scored a touchdown, but you’re sitting through a commercial break, then a kickoff, then another commercial break. It seems as if 10 minutes have gone by and all you’ve seen is a touchback.

“I hate that, too,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell wrote in a letter sent to fans Wednesday afternoon, promising that the league is examining into ways to speed up the pace of games.

Clubs will have the opportunity to vote on rules during the annual meetings next week in Arizona. Included is a change in the replay system in which a tablet will be brought to the referee to review the play in conjunction with the officiating HQ in New York, which makes the ultimate call.

The NFL also plans to institute a play clock following extra points when TV doesn’t take a break. It may institute a play clock after touchdowns and add other wrinkles to reduce dead time.

Goodell also wrote that “there are too many elements in the broadcast that aren’t relevant to the play on the field.” He wrote that the league is working with broadcasters to “instead focus on content that is most complementary and compelling to you.”

Goodell did not cite specifics, so we’ll have to see if he truly meant content complementary to the game or — major difference here — complimentary to the game.

He added, “All of these changes are meant to give you more of what you want: a competitive game with fewer interruptions and distractions from the action.”

One bit of criticism: From what I hear from players and fans, I’m convinced NFL owners are far more offended by touchdown celebrations than everybody else. It’d be nice to see rules relaxed to add more fun to what’s supposed to be entertainment.

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About the Authors

Jason Lieser has covered sports in Chicago, New Orleans and now South Florida

Joe Schad is a sports reporter for The Palm Beach Post who covers the Miami Dolphins. He previous covered sports for ESPN, the Orlando Sentinel and Newsday.

After 19 years as a sports writer, copy editor and assistant sports editor at The Miami Herald, Hal Habib joined The Palm Beach Post's sports department in 1998. Areas of coverage range from the Olympics, Kentucky Derby and Super Bowl to local sports.